Constitution and Bylaws

“The mission of the Wild Sheep Society is to promote and enhance wild sheep and wild sheep habitat throughout British Columbia.”

The Constitution and Bylaws of the Wild Sheep Society provide as follows:

Constitution April 11, 1998

W.S.S. Wild Sheep Society of B.C.

1) The name of the Society is: “WSS Wild Sheep Society of B.C.”

2) The purposes of the Society are:
a) To promote the cause of wild sheep conservation and preservation.
b) To protect and enhance habitat for wild hseep and associated wildlife.
c) To unit sportsmen with one purpose, the safeguarding of these natural resources for future generations.
d) To support the rights of our members in their endeavors to preserve our environment.
e) To maintain and promote the right to hunt in a safe and ethical manner and to foster good will, sportsmanship and fair chase in light of all rules and regulations.

3) The operations of the society are to be chiefly carried on in the province of British Columbial. This provision is unalterable.

Bylaws

1) Membership

a) The membership of the society shall be open to any person who ethically abides by the objectives of the Society.
b) Subject to Article 1 a), when a member pays their annual membership dues he or she will be entitled to enjoy all rights and privileges of membership.
c) A new member will be eligible to vote at the annual meeting providing that they have been a member of the Society for 30 days prior to the annual general meeting.

2) Expulsion of Members

a) For any reasonable cause or causes a vote of the members present at a general meeting may suspend or expel a member from the society.
b) Only members in good standing shall be entitled to hold office, nominate candidates or have the right to vote at any meeting of this organization.
c) Members cease to be in good standing when they are delinquent by 60 days or more in paying annual dues.
d) A member can also cease to be in good standing by breaking provincial or federal laws and by being convicted of such crimes. A majority vote at a general meeting may suspend or expel a member from the Society. These also hold true for the removal of directors and officers.
A member who has been convicted of a wildlife infraction will not be able to run for a position on the executive for a period of seven years. All individuals running for on the executive must declare any wildlife infractions that they have had in front of the membership. At each election the membership will ask each prospective executive member if they have been convicted of such an offense. If the infraction is seven years or older there will be a general membership pre-vote as to whether that person can stand for office.
e) Any member, director or officer may resign at any time by written notification to the president.
f) No director or officer shall be remunerated for being or acting as a director or officer, but a director or officer may be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily and reasonably incurred by him or her while engaged in the affairs of the society. Expenses above budgeted amounts must have prior approval of the board of directors.
Notwithstanding the above, a contract for a specific task may be assigend to a board member for services rendered int he interest of the Society. This contract must have 75% approval of the Board.

a) The annual meeting of the Society shall be held during the spring of each year.
b) Regular meetings shall be held at the call of the president or when 10% or more of the members requisition a meeting.
c) Eight members of the Society shall constitute a quorum at an annual meeting, of which four must be executive.
d) Membership shall be notified of all meetings, in advance.
e) A quorom for a directors board meeting shall be 50% plus one.

5) Officers

a) An election of officers shall take place at the annual meeting of the Society.
b) The offices of president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer shall be installed for a 1 or 2 year term. The 4 directors receiving the most votes shall be installed for a 2 year term. The remaining 4 shall be installed for a 1 year term. All positions shall be held until their successors have been elected or installed, or by accepted resignation by the executive, at any time during their elected term. The executive may at any time appoint a member as a director to fill a vacancy until the next annual meeting.
c) Officers shall be the president, immediate past president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and eight (8) directors.
d) An election may be by acclamation, otherwise it shall be by ballot.
e) No person shall be qualified to be president of the Society unless that person has been an officer of the Society for at least one year but not necesarily the year preceding the election.

6. Order of Business
a) The order of business shall be govered by Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

7) Audit of Accounts
a) Prior to the annual meeting an audit of the books of accounts shall be conducted by a certified accountant of the Society’s choice and presented at the annual meeting.

8) Seal of the Society
a) The Society shall have a suitable seal to be used in the transaction of its business, not to be used except by resolution of the Executive, in whose custody it shall remain.

9) Custody of Minutes and Records
a) The secretary shall keep all minutes and records of the society which will be open to the membership at all reasonable times.
b)The financial records of the society shall be kept by the treasurer and shall be open to inspection by members at all reasonable times.
c) All money received shall be credited to the current bank accounts of the Society and paid out only on two (2) approved signatures (President and Secretary or Treasurer).
d) All life memberships shall be locked into a special account whereby only the interest shall be used by the Society.
e) Expenses over $2500.00 shall be ratified by the Board.

10) Borrowing Powers
a) There is no provision for “The exercise of borrowing powers” and there shall be none.

11) Duties of Officers
a) The President shall preside over all meetings of the Society and of the directors, he is the chief executive office of the society and shall supervise the other officers in the execution of their duties.
b) The Vice President shall carry out the duties of the President in his absence.

c) The Secretary shall:
*Conduct the correspondence of the Society
*Issue notices of meetings of the Society and directors.
*Have custody of all records and documents of the Society except those required to be kept by the Treasurer.
*Have custody of the common seal of the Society.
*Maintain the Register of Members.

d) The Treasurer shall:
*Keep the financial records, including books of account, necessary to comply with the Society Act; and
*Render financial statements to the Directors, Members and others when required.
e) The officers of Secretary and Treasurer may be held by one person who shall be known as the Secretary-Treasurer.
f) In the absence of the Secretary from a meeting, the directors shall appoint another person to act as Secretary at the meeting.